Reducing the time required to develop communications test solutions, eliminating a PC board, and the ability to re-spin by modeling thermal management at the board and systems level during the early design process, are a few of the design features of FLO/PCB software. In the past, engineers were not able to address thermal issues at the board level until the prototype stage when physical testing was performed. FLO/PCB software is designed to optimize component placement before prototyping. The result is that no additional prototypes are required for thermal reasons. Modeling PC boards during the design stage makes it possible to get the board design right from a thermal standpoint every time. This eliminates the need for a second thermal prototype and can save four to six weeks in bringing products to market. In a typical example, FLO/PCB showed that junction temperatures were too high on a design of voltage regulators. The system level simulation showed exactly where reposition of the board was needed to get enough airflow.